If you want to propel your cybersecurity career and push through the boundaries to reach the zenith of being a cyber professional, then acquiring new certifications is paramount.
Cybersecurity is an advanced subject that revolves around multiple aspects; some of them are widely practiced while some of them are still being explored. However, in today's topic, we will be discussing two very basic and advanced security certifications; CEH and the CISA.
CEH Vs. CISA (A Comparison)
Both these certifications are different in terms of the cybersecurity sections these cover as well as the skillset these offer to the professionals. However, many IT students or professionals are often seen in turmoil to make a selection between the two. If this is nagging you for so long, then you have come to the right place. We will be explaining each certification thoroughly and making a brief comparison between the two for you to come across an optimum choice.
CEH-Certified Ethical Hacker Certification
CEH is primarily focused on increasing the skill set of cyber professionals among the fields of ethical hacking and penetration testing. This is an advanced credential as opposed to any other certification that is offered in the field of cybersecurity. It is an official EC-council program, and it focuses on various aspects of the cybersecurity business. It is not like addressing the casual needs of the cybersecurity of a company or firm such as administrating an update for the overall network protection or manufacturing dedicated solutions for different aspects of the business.
This is where the game gets elevated, the professionals with CEH certification are responsible for the overall protection of the network systems, detection of the vulnerabilities and potential nodes of breaches, using a wide array of tools for the mitigation of the threats in the first place. Ethical hacking is something that is in great demand these days; almost every business requires such professionals that can check the integrity of their cybersecurity of the network and complete system infrastructure and alert them in case of any vulnerabilities found in these systems.
Not only these professionals are required to scan the networking system of the organizations for potential vulnerabilities but also to implement various security systems to make sure that these exposed elements are properly contained and don’t offer any threats in the future.
This may include scanning networking systems, tackling harmful elements such as malware, Trojans, viruses, ransomware, and others. It also includes installing firewalls, using knowledge of cryptography for inducing advanced security as well as performing penetration testing to make a network free from cyber breaches.
CISA-Certified Information Systems Auditor
The ISACA offers it to the security professionals who are in charge of ensuring the stability, monitoring, management, and protection of the dedicated IT systems. Any professional who has CISA certification can be entitled as an IT Auditor who audits systems, catches potential vulnerabilities in the data network of the organizations, and implementing IT controls in an enterprise environment.
CISA certification is different than the CEH certification in a multitude of terms, at first it doesn’t involve the applications of ethical hacking or penetration testing at all but rather infuse the knowledge of systematic auditing to make sure that the network system has the required resources for smooth functioning. It also includes checking the security implementations for any vulnerabilities and if found, then particular IT controls need to be crafted and implemented accordingly to nullify the adversities of the threats.
CISA certification is widely accepted for the posts of the IT auditor as well as security information management, completing this certification will put you under a spotlight through which you can not only shine brighter but also stand apart from your competition. Among the various responsibilities of this professional, they are required to come up with an audit strategy for various information systems, which is based on risk management.
These audits can also help the professionals to understand whether or not the IT assists are managed, protected, or working at their full capacity with dedicated security implementations to fight against various risks. On an ending note, the audits that are crafted should represent or coincide with the organization’s particular standards and objectives.
Which one is best for you?
Nature of responsibilities
If you give it a thought, then you will come to know that the CEH certification in correspondence with the CISA certification is different. The colossal of responsibilities that resides over the shoulders of the professionals are also very different. CEH requires the individuals to master the art of ethical hacking and penetration testing, while CISA focuses overplaying a managerial role among the auditing of the IT systems.
Costs
CEH costs a lot more than CISA, not only in terms of the certification fees and test preparation, but also in trying to renew the certification after the dedicated period is over. Whereas CISA is more affordable, and the chances of clearing the test are also very bright as opposed to the CEH certification. If you don't have much, to begin with, then definitely the CISA should be your ultimate choice.
Employability
When it comes to employability, the chances for employment regarding CEH are far more in number than the CISA, and the main reason is because the professionals who have a keen skillset among the penetration testing are far great in demand. However, the CISA professionals are also needed to conduct the various auditing of the IT infrastructure for various companies and businesses; however, the vacancies are slight in number rather than the CEH professionals, if you do get the job then the chances are that you can grow financially over the years.
Considering all the possibilities that are mentioned above, you should go for CISA if you don’t carry the professional knowledge or experience yet to qualify for the CEH certification. However, if you want to propel further and sharpen your cybersecurity skills, then the CEH certification is the way to go.